Locomotive stoker



1932- E. A. TURNER LOCOMOTIVE STOKBR Filed July 29. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EN 9a m m m Nov. 29, 1932. E. A. TURNER LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed July 29. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENT R Patented Nov. 29, 1932 EDWIN ARCHER TURNER, OF NEW YORK, NQY ,ASSIGNOR COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION TO THE STANDARD stroxnn or DELAWARE LocoMo'rIvE sroxnn 1 Application filed July 29,

My present invention relates to locomotive stokers and has for its principal object the provision of an improved flexible fuel feeding conduit system for conveying fuel from the tender to the locomotive with minimum pulverizing of the lump fuel.

This invention comprises the parts and 'arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and as illustrated on the drawings in which Figure 1 is a detail longitudinal vertical central section through the rear portion of a locomotive and the forward end of its tender, the stoker mechanism being applied thereto and shown in similar section; and V Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 with some parts broken away.

In the conveyance of fuel from the tender to the locomotive firebox through a conduit system, the system necessarily comprises two or more sections flexibly connected or flexibly communicatively associated for the passage of fuel and the permit articulation of the various sections when the locomotive is in operation over curving track. Such conduit systems convey the fuel from-the tender and raise the material to a point above the fire for distribution over the firebed. Due to the movement between the conduit sections any flexible joints in the conveying means within the conduit or any abrupt bends or curves of the conduits cause a substantial portion of the lump fuel to be broken down, much of which is finely pulverized intransit from the source of supply to the firebox.

This invention provides a flexible conduit system so constructed that the conduits are flexibly connected in a manner to avoid abrupt bends or sharp turns and the conveying means is free from rotating obstructions such as universal joints within the conduits in the path of the fuel being conveyed.

The stoker is shown applied to the locomotive 10 having the firebox 11 with a backwall 12 having a firing opening therein at 13 above the grates 14 and the locomotive having a cab 15 provided with a firing deck or floor 16, the tender 17 being rearward of the locomotive and above its floor 18 being provided with the usual coal bin 19. The locomotive and its tender are connected together 1929. Serial No. 381,934.

with an articulated coupling member as at 20. The floor of the tender has disposed longitudinally in its central portion, the customary slidable' plates 21 for creating a shiftable opening from which the fuel drops in to the stoker mechanism. N

The stoker comprises a flexible conduit system including a conveyer section A and the elevator section B flexiblyconnected together by a novel joint construction cent portions of the sections.

The conveyer section A is fixed on the tender beneath the floor 21, the open mouth trough portion 25 opening upwardly to re-- ceive fuel from the bin 19 through the shiftable opening formed by the plates 21. The forward end of the conveyer A terminates in the tubular extension 26 having formed integral therewith at its enda spherical shell member 27 opening downwardly. L

The spherical shell 27 is received in a .vertically split spherical flange coupling member 30 extendingdownwardly and at its lower face having laterally extending flanges 31, 31a for attachment to the tubular lower end portion 32 of the elevator section B. The portion 32 opens upwardly,'communicating directly in close proximity with the'downwardly facing opening of the spherical shell member 27, the flange coupling member 30 O at the adjaforming a closure between the adjacent parts of the conduit sections to provide an enclosed passage for the fuel as at 33 and constituting V with the shell member 27 a universal connection capable of permitting the necessary flexure of the conduit sections.- f r The lower end of the elevator sectionB is disposed immediately beneath the tubular extension 26- and the elevator conduit inclines forwardly and upwardly from its lower end through the cab floor 16 to and at its uppen end communicating with the firing opening 13 of the firebox. The lower portion 32 is fixed to the casing 34 telescoping with the forward tubular portion 35 having formed on its forward end the sphericalball 36 received in the horizontally split spherical flange 37 of the nozzle 38, which is fixed to the firebox backwall 12 by suitable fastening means through the laterally extending flanges 39, 39a.

The nozzle of the elevator section opens directly to the firing opening 13 and is adapted to deliver fuel to a distributing means-including adistributor plate 40 and a rearwardly disposed distributor jet structure 41, both of which serve in a known manner to uniformly spread the fuel over the grates 14 of the firebox 11.

Suitable means is provided for advancing the fuel through the conduit sections from the. fuel bin to the firebox. The means selected comprises separated screw conveyers, the screw being rotatably mounted within the conveyer section A and terminating at its forward end adjacent the opening in the shellmember 27, and a screw 46 being rotatably mounted in the elevator section B independent of the screw 45 in a position so that its lower end portion is immediately beneath the shell member 27 to receive fuel directly from the end of the screw 45. Preferably, the elevator section andits screw conveyer 46 extend upwardly in a substantially straight line from the end of the section A to the firing opening of the locomotive to convey the fuel in the shortest distance to the fire, although itisto be understood that any other form of elevator section so constructed as to carry out the object of the invention may be used.

A crusher 47 for use in cooperation with the screw 45 is provided and disposed in the trough 25 for breaking down those lumps of fuel too large for delivery to the firebox.

Motionlmay be imparted to the screw conveyers by any suitable mechanism but, preferably, from a motor 50 located on the forward left corner of the tender through gearing 51 arranged in a housing or box 52 at the rear of the eonveyer section A, the motor being connected to the gearing by the jointed shaft;53. The screw 45 at its rearward end is fixedto the gear shaft 54 through which motion is-transmitted directly to the screw from the gearing without any intermediate shafting or connections.

The screw conveyer 46 is connected in driving relationship with the gearing 51 by the telescopingfiexible drive shaft 55 at its rearward end being universally connected by'the joint' 56 to a gear shaft 57 and at its forward end being universally connected by the joint 58 to the'screw shaft 59 mounted ina bear.- ing in the lowerend wall 60 of the elevator section B.

In. the-operation of the stoker device of this invention motion is imparted to the screw conveyers from the motor 50 and through suitablegearing 51 as just described, preferably, the screw 46 being of greater carrying capacity than the section 45 to avoid any tendency-of the coal to .paclcor become congested in its conveyance to the firebox. The fuel from the bin 19 drops into the trough i,ss9,519

portion 25 of the conveyer section A and is advanced forwardly by the screw conveyer 45 past the crusher 47 into the extension 26 and delivered to the spherical shell member 27, the fuel dropping from the end of the screw 45 through the passage 33 directly in to the lower portion of the elevator section B on to the screw conveyer 46 whereby the fuel is then elevated in a substantially straight line to the firing opening 13, there the fuel being scattered over the grates 14 by the distributing means including the jet structure 41 and the distributor plate 40.

The lower portion of the elevator section B and the forward end of the conveyer section A are closely related in such manner that the periphery of the flights of the screws 45 and 46 are in as close proximity as can possibly be arranged in a stoker mechanism in which the-screws are not universally connected one with the other whereby the fuel passes directly from the end of the screw on to the screw 46withoutpassing through any intermediate conduits, and the fuel being delivered from one screw to the other is not subjected to a grinding action or to pulverizing forces such as are created when the screw conveyers of the respective conduit sections are connected together by universal joints operating within tl e path of the stream of fuel bein conveyed to the firebox. The absence of sucn universal joints or other revolving obstructions within the conduits, and the conduit sections being flexibly connected in close proximity, such that the fuel is not passed through abrupt curves or sharp bends or angles, all contribute in providing a flexible fuel feeding conduit system through which the fuel can be conveyed from a source of supply such as the fuel bin of the tender and conveyed to a locomotive firebox or like furnace with a minimum breaking down or pulverizing of those lumps of fuel already of suitable size for firing.

It will be seen that the stoker of this invention is very compact, easily assembled, efficient in operation, one having few working parts, and one that is of simple construction and adding very little weight on the locomotive particularly.

I claim:

1. In a stoker comprising a flexible fuel feeding conduit system, a conveyer section and an elevator section, said conveyor section including a rearward open mouthed trough portion and a forward tubular extension having formed therewith at its forward end a spherical shell opening downwardly, said elevator section extending forwardly from a point immediately beneath said extension and at its forward end adapted to deliver fuel to a furnace, the lower end of said elevator section being located immediately beneath said forward extension and said elevator section at its lower portion opening upwardly to communicate with the opening of said spherical shell, and a spherical coupling member for attaching the lower portion of said elevator section to said forward extension to form a flexible connection there between, said spherical coupling member fitting over and contacting the outer spherical surface of the wall of said spherical shell member.

2. In a stoker comprising a flexible fuel feeding conduit system, a conveyer section and an elevator section, said conveyer section having formed therewith at its forward end a spherical shell member opening downwardly, said elevator section extending forwardly from the conveyer section and at its forward end adapted to deliver fuel to a furnace, the lower portion of said elevator section being located below the forward end of said conveyer and said elevator section at its lower portion opening upwardly to communicate with the opening of said spherical shell memher, and a spherical coupling member for attaching said elevator section to said spherical shell member of the conveyer section to form a flexible connection therewith, said spherical coupling member fitting over and contacting the outer spherical surface of the wall of said spherical shell member.

3. In combination, a locomotive having a firebox provided with a firing opening, a

, tender for said locomotive having a fuel bin,

a flexible fuel feeding conduit system comprising a conveyer section and an elevator section, said conveyer section adapted to receive fuel from said bin and having formed at its forward end a spherical shell member opening downwardly, said elevator section extending forwardly from the conveyer section and at its forward end adapted to deliver fuel through said firing opening of the locomotive, the lower portion of said elevator section being located below the forward end of said conveyer and said elevator section at eits lower portion opening upwardly to communicate with the opening of said spherical shell member, a spherical coupling member for attaching said elevator section to said spherical shell member of the conveyer section to form a flexible connection therewith,

said spherical coupling member fitting over and contacting the outer spherical surface of the wall of said spherical shell member, and separated screw conveyers, one screw being rotatably mounted in each of said sections for advancing fuel through said sections from the tender to the firebox, the screw within the conveying section delivering the fuel on to the screw within the elevator section through the communicating openings of the sections.

4. In combination, a locomotive having a firebox provided with a firing opening, a tender for said locomotive having a fuel bin, a flexible fuel feeding conduit system comprising a conveyer section and an elevator section, said conveyer section adapted to receive fuel from said bin and having formed therewith at its forward end a spherical shell member opening downwardly, said elevator section extending forwardly from the conveyer section and at its forward end adapted to deliver fuel through said firing opening of the locomotive, the lower portion of said elevator section being located below the forward end of said conveyer and said elevator sections from the tender to the firebox, thescrew within the conveying section delivering the fuel on to the screw within the elevator section, a motor, gearing, said gearing located at the rear of'said conveyer section and being connected with said motor and with the screw within said conveyer section,

and a telescoping drive shaft flexibly connecting said gearing with the rearward end of said screw wlthin the elevator section.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWIN ARCHER TURNER. 

